Tom Lewand, Martin Mayhew Fired: Is This The Right Move

Bad news, Lions couldn't score. The good news, the team didn't play today.

A bag of rocks has more life than the Lions this season. 

Here we go again, the Lions can't get their act together. After an amazing 11 - 5 season and reaching the playoffs, the Lions have only won one game this season. The team had their butts handed to them by the Kansas City Chiefs 45 - 10 during a game in London. With all the ups and down of the team over the past several seasons, some fans feel like they're on a bad roller coaster ride.

This season so far is so bad, the team owner Martha Ford had to finally put her foot down. In a move that shocked many last week, she fired team president Tom Lewand and general manager Martin Mayhew. While some see this move a step in the right direction, should she have waited until the end of the season to see if they improve? Was firing them the answer or are there deeper problems in the organization instead?

To many the Lions problems began when William Clay Ford Sr. purchased the team. For several years the teams seasons were so bad that too many to count players, coaches team presidents, and assistants were have come and gone from the Lions.

Although the Lions were in the playoffs a few times, they have never made it beyond the NFC Conference Championship. The Lions even when 0 - 16 during the historic 2008 season. Many blamed Matt Millen who was team president at the time for the season. Even after Millen was fired, the team kept going downhill. 

Finally after the historic season a new head coach, team president and general manager were named. The Lions even got the first pick in the draft. The Lions chose Matthew Stafford as quarterback. The team even hired Super Bowl champion Jim Cauldwell as head coach. Some improvements were made and the Lions reached the playoffs a couple of times. Still the Lions couldn't win a playoff game. Even with all the changes made, can the Lions be a sucessful team or are we cursed by the football gods?

If I had all the answers why the Lions can't win, I'd be running the team. However I can only give my observations. First: hire a team president and general manager who know what they're are doing and have the winning record to prove it. my suggestion if he's available Bill Parcels or someone like him. 

Second, hire coaches who have head coaching experiences and a winning record. I'd give Jim Cauldwell time to regroup his players and see how the season plays out. 

Third, get good quarterbacks and players. Do or pay whatever it takes to keep Calvin Johnson as a Lion. 

Fourth: The team has to act like a unit. Group dynamics, group cohesiveness plays a large part in the way a team operates. Good teams look after each other. 

Finally: We can never go back to being a losing team again. We fans are tired of having our playoff hopes dashed. 

Let's hope the Lions can finally start winning games again

  

Is High School Football Safe Enough

This week, the quest for a high school football championship begins. 

All over the United States on Friday nights, many communities are going to be watching their local high school varsity football teams play. While many players play without injuries, seven high school players this year were not as fortunate. 

For the 18th time in the last 2 years a high school football players has left this world way too soon. Chicago area high school student Andre Smith was the most recent. Smith passed away after suffering head trauma during a game last Thursday. 

Some deaths were head trauma related. Others were caused by previous undetected health issues.

Could his passing have been prevented? Are school doing enough to keep their students who participate in sports safe? Are schools equipped enough to handle emergencies?

Athlete heart and health checks should be mandatory or made available at low cost to parents for students who want to participate in contact and high intensity sports. By having health checks  they can weed out students are at risk or at least take precautions for the students. 

Coaches and staff should be better trained to handle emergencies and have access to equipment to handle any emergency that occurs. The school should have a policy in place for dealing with head trauma and injury protocol. There should be access to safer sports equipment and techniques on how to reduce injuries before they happen.

Sports can unite and inspire a community. Let's hope no more communities have to unite to mourn. 

Prayers for Flip Saunders

Prayers, thoughts for the loved ones of former Pistons coach and Minnesota Timberwolves president and minority owner Flip Saunders.

Saunders who was the Pistons head coach from 2005 - 2008 left us too soon after a brief battle with cancer.

Saunders was a true gentleman who will be deeply missed.

MLB.com Strikes Out On Postseason Coverage

As a paying customer of the premium service for MLB.com, I'm disgusted at their coverage of the games.

 I might have to tell the MLB where they should shove their service. 

You can't watch the games live online if you're in a blacked out area. 

They're also insisting that you have to sign in with your cable company id or buy their post season package if you want to watch online. 

If they do air your citys' team game, it's delayed. By then many fans already know the score, so why watch. 

Some fans are ditching cable because they can't afford it. 

Many are turning to the internet to watch tv.

 What if you have something else to do and still want to see Miggy hit one out or A Rod strike out as usual. 

Some Americans can't afford to go to the games because of the economy. 

Now they're SOL if they want to watch their home team.

 Does the MLB even care about their fan base or are they in it for the profit. 

Baseball is considered to be Americas' game. 

If you really want more Americans to enjoy baseball, don't gouge us or make it difficult to watch. 

Prayers For Justin Wilson

Prayers, thoughts go to the loved ones of Indy car driver Justin Wilson. 

Wilson died earlier this week 1 day after being struck in the head by debris from another accident at the Pocono Raceway. 

He will be greatly missed.

Prayers For The Loved Ones of Mel Farr

Prayers go to the loved ones of Mel Farr.

The former Lions running back left us too soon unexpectedly at his home Monday. The former running back and car dealership owner was 70. 

He will be dearly missed.

NASCAR In Drivers Seat On Domestic Violence

May I have your attention all sports leagues, you've been put on notice!

NASCAR got it right. Domestic violence should never happen. Nobody should ever be abused. There's no excuse for it!

As of now Kurt Busch has been suspended from the sport. The suspension would prevent Busch from driving in the Daytona 500 this weekend.  Busch reportedly choked his ex girlfriend after an argument in late September. Although Busch has not been charged in the incident, he still could be reinstated pending a hearing.

Buschs' suspension came months following the NFLs' mishandling of a domestic abuse scandal concerning Raven star Ray Rice. Rice was caught on  video tape assaulting his fiancee who later became his wife in an elevator. The assault landed Rice a suspension from the NFL and a scandal surrounding the commissioners handling of the issue.  Afterwards the NFL formed a commission dealing with its' domestic violence policies.  The policy of the NFL is considered by many to be a small fix to a much bigger problem and came too little too late.

Why wasn't domestic violence dealt with in the beginning. With so many athletes arrested, what does that say about sports leagues? Why did it take so long for the issue to be dealt with?  Does it mean that the safety of women didn't matter to leagues? Do head injuries in sports have anything to do with violence?

Suspensions are a start but that's not enough, Leagues should have programs in place to deal with 

the causes  treatment for domestic violence. 

Maybe domestic violence can finally be eradicated.

NFL Fumbles Ball On Possible Cheating

Roger Goodell needs to vacate the NFL now!

Once again the NFL and Roger Goodell have fumbled the ball.

This time the league is under fire after alleged cheating by the New England Patriots during the AFC championship game this week.  The Patriots apparently were using 11 deflated balls. The deflated balls are considered easier to throw and would have given the Patriots an unfair advantage. The Patriots beat the Colts 45 - 7 to advance to Super Bowl 49 on Feb. 1st. 

This wasn't the first time there was alleged cheating. The Patriots coaches were previously accused of spying on opposing teams sidelines during regular seasons games. The New Orleans Saints were also caught participating in Bounty Gate. Bounty Gate occurred when Saints players were given bonuses for tackling opposing offensive players. This caused the opposing teams players to be injured.

What does the NFL non reactions to cheating show to fans? What does it say about the job that Roger Goodell is doing as commissioner? Does it mean that he's ineffective in his job? Does it say that the bottom line and winning are more important than ethics? If the Patriots are found cheating, what kind of penalties should they get. 

 If there were allegations of cheating, why didn't the NFL do more to prevent it from happening again? And why wasn't there an official in charge of equipment so there's no possible way of tampering? Does it show that the NFL is poorly run?

Even if the alleged cheating never took place, there will still be some doubts about the NFL and the Patriots. Once doubt is in play, it will take a long time for many to trust the sport again. Once trust is lost, good luck in ever getting it back. Even if the Patriots are punished, the damage is still there.

If the NFL wants to recover from this scandal, they need to do a better job of cleaning up their act. They need to have stiffer penalties in place for those who cheat. They need to have a better eye on equipment.  They should also have safeguards in place so that it never happens again. 

Then maybe many can enjoy watching football once more. 

New Year, New Resolutions for Teams.

Happy New Year!

Once again a brand new year is here. And once again many make resolutions that are sometimes broken. 

If were up to me, I would make the following resolutions for our beloved Michigan teams and players. 

For Michigan State basketball and football: Win but not as often as the Wolverines.

For Wolverine basketball: make it to March Madness and don't blow it.  If you do make it to the championship game, don't mess it up.

For the Lions, finally win a playoff game. Quit blowing leads and racking up penalties. Keep Suh, Reggie Bush. Keep Jim Caldwell as coach. No more losing seasons, there's no more excuses for it. 0 - 16 should never be allowed to happen again.  

For Suh and Dominic Raiola: we know you're football bad asses, but you can't keep getting suspended. If you want be bad asses in football, you also have to know how to be good sportsmen too. 

For the Tigers: Do whatever it takes to keep Max Scherzer in a Tigers uniform. Try to sign a power hitter who can really hit in the clean up spot. We have the best pitchers in the game, we don't need any new pitchers. Make to the post season again and try not to choke again when you make it to the World Series. 

For the Wings: You're a good team, kick some hockey ass. You don't get to the playoffs without knowing what you're doing. This losing S*** stops now!

For the Pistons: Win consistently. You've been known for being the bad boys, don't be known for pathetic basketball. What happened the past six years with this team was pathetic. The winning streak is great, keep it up!

For the Wolverines football: liquidate MSU and Ohio State. It will take time to rebuild the team. Recruit well. Hope coach Harbaugh can rebuild this team. Have a plan when it comes to dealing with concessions. What happened with Shane Morris should never be allowed to happen again.

For Miguel Cabrera and V Mart: hope you are Tigers for life. Keep smacking those homers in. 

For all Michigan teams: give your fans something to cheer about.